Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya
Encyclopedia
Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya (born 7 October 1939) is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kinshasa and de facto primate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI
in 2007.
Monsengwo Pasinya was born in Mongobele, Diocese of Inongo. He belongs to one of the royal families of Basakata; his second name, Monsengwo, means "nephew of the traditional chief".
He did his initial ecclesiastical studies at the Seminary of Bokoro and furthered them at the Major Seminary of Kabwe. where he studied philosophy. He was sent to Rome to attend the Pontifical Urbaniana University
, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute
. He also studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute
in Jerusalem, where he was awarded a doctorate in biblical studies. He is the first African to obtain such a doctorate. He studied there under Father Carlo Maria Martini
, S.J., the future cardinal. He was ordained
to the priesthood on 21 December 1963 in Rome. After his ordination he did pastoral work and served as a faculty member at the Theological Faculty of Kinshasa for several years. He served as secretary-general of the Congolese Episcopal Conference from 1976 to 1980.
appointed him Titular Bishop
of Acque Nuove di Proconsulare and Auxiliary Bishop of Kisangani on 13 February 1980. He was consecrated on 4 May 1980 in Kinshasa
, in the open air, by Pope John Paul II, assisted by Agnelo Rossi, Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
and Albert-Joseph Malula, Archbishop of Kinshasa. He served as president of the Congolese Episcopal Conference, in 1980 and again in 1992. He was appointed Metropoliltan Archbishop
of Kisangani on 1 September 1988. He has been serving as Co-President of Pax Christi International since 3 November 2007. He was transferred to the metropolitan see of Kinshasa by Pope Benedict on 6 December 2007 after the death of Cardinal Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi in January 2007. He has continued to raise his voice in defence of human rights, justice and peace.
On 20 November 2010 Pope Benedict elevated Archbishop Monsengwo Pasinya to the status of cardinal, becoming Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia mare. He will be able to vote in a papal conclave until his 80th birthday in 2019.
In December 2010, he was named by Pope Benedict as a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education
for a five year renewable term.
to democracy. In 1994, Monsengwo was chosen speaker of the Republic’s Transitional Parliament, in charge of drafting a constitution and forming a transitional democratic government which would prepare general elections. Monsengwo has vocally defended human rights both in Congo and the rest of Africa and views the human being through the Christian concept of mankind. He has said:
"Peace goes hand in hand with justice, justice with right, right with truth.
Without justice, social peace is badly placed. Thus, the promotion of the State of Law is necessary, at any price, where the primacy of the law reigns, notably constitutional law; the States of Law where the arbitrary and subjectivity do not create the law of the jungle; States of Law where national sovereignty is recognized and respected; States of Law where to each one, its due is equitably rendered.
Without truth, it is difficult to ensure justice and to speak of rights. The consequence of this is that right and not right have equal freedom of the city; which makes it impossible to have an harmonious order of things or “tranquillitas ordinis”. “In truth there is peace” (Benedict XVI).
This is why in seeking peaceful solutions, all notable diplomatic and political approaches aim at reestablishing truth, justice and peace.
Christ is our peace, He made peace, He proclaimed peace, so that all Jews and pagans could be made one people. Not by leaving each other with their privileges and their rights, but in abolishing exclusion, in pulling down the wall of cultural and social separation, in destroying the hatred which He crucified upon the cross with his body. Jews and Gentiles are no longer foreigners, or strangers, but close friends, fellow-citizens of the saints, and each one has the same heritage (Eph 3:6) having belonged in the past to the one Israel. In this way, He created a new man, to reconcile them both to God and to give them access to the Father through the Spirit.
It is in doing away with all these barriers, exclusion, discriminatory laws in faith and society, and especially in killing hatred that one reconciles men and peace is made."
Monsengwo has been mentioned on a short list for a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
in 2007.
Monsengwo Pasinya was born in Mongobele, Diocese of Inongo. He belongs to one of the royal families of Basakata; his second name, Monsengwo, means "nephew of the traditional chief".
He did his initial ecclesiastical studies at the Seminary of Bokoro and furthered them at the Major Seminary of Kabwe. where he studied philosophy. He was sent to Rome to attend the Pontifical Urbaniana University
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute
Pontifical Biblical Institute
The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
. He also studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute
Pontifical Biblical Institute
The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
in Jerusalem, where he was awarded a doctorate in biblical studies. He is the first African to obtain such a doctorate. He studied there under Father Carlo Maria Martini
Carlo Maria Martini
Carlo Maria Martini, SJ is an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of Milan from 1980 to 2002, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1983.-Early life and education:...
, S.J., the future cardinal. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood on 21 December 1963 in Rome. After his ordination he did pastoral work and served as a faculty member at the Theological Faculty of Kinshasa for several years. He served as secretary-general of the Congolese Episcopal Conference from 1976 to 1980.
Episcopate
Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
appointed him Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Acque Nuove di Proconsulare and Auxiliary Bishop of Kisangani on 13 February 1980. He was consecrated on 4 May 1980 in Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, in the open air, by Pope John Paul II, assisted by Agnelo Rossi, Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...
and Albert-Joseph Malula, Archbishop of Kinshasa. He served as president of the Congolese Episcopal Conference, in 1980 and again in 1992. He was appointed Metropoliltan Archbishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Kisangani on 1 September 1988. He has been serving as Co-President of Pax Christi International since 3 November 2007. He was transferred to the metropolitan see of Kinshasa by Pope Benedict on 6 December 2007 after the death of Cardinal Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi in January 2007. He has continued to raise his voice in defence of human rights, justice and peace.
On 20 November 2010 Pope Benedict elevated Archbishop Monsengwo Pasinya to the status of cardinal, becoming Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia mare. He will be able to vote in a papal conclave until his 80th birthday in 2019.
In December 2010, he was named by Pope Benedict as a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education
Congregation for Catholic Education
The Congregation for Catholic Education is the Pontifical congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for: seminaries and houses of formation of...
for a five year renewable term.
Background and Views
During the 1990s, he served as president of the High Council of the Republic in the transition from dictatorship of Mobutu Sese SekoMobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
to democracy. In 1994, Monsengwo was chosen speaker of the Republic’s Transitional Parliament, in charge of drafting a constitution and forming a transitional democratic government which would prepare general elections. Monsengwo has vocally defended human rights both in Congo and the rest of Africa and views the human being through the Christian concept of mankind. He has said:
"Peace goes hand in hand with justice, justice with right, right with truth.
Without justice, social peace is badly placed. Thus, the promotion of the State of Law is necessary, at any price, where the primacy of the law reigns, notably constitutional law; the States of Law where the arbitrary and subjectivity do not create the law of the jungle; States of Law where national sovereignty is recognized and respected; States of Law where to each one, its due is equitably rendered.
Without truth, it is difficult to ensure justice and to speak of rights. The consequence of this is that right and not right have equal freedom of the city; which makes it impossible to have an harmonious order of things or “tranquillitas ordinis”. “In truth there is peace” (Benedict XVI).
This is why in seeking peaceful solutions, all notable diplomatic and political approaches aim at reestablishing truth, justice and peace.
Christ is our peace, He made peace, He proclaimed peace, so that all Jews and pagans could be made one people. Not by leaving each other with their privileges and their rights, but in abolishing exclusion, in pulling down the wall of cultural and social separation, in destroying the hatred which He crucified upon the cross with his body. Jews and Gentiles are no longer foreigners, or strangers, but close friends, fellow-citizens of the saints, and each one has the same heritage (Eph 3:6) having belonged in the past to the one Israel. In this way, He created a new man, to reconcile them both to God and to give them access to the Father through the Spirit.
It is in doing away with all these barriers, exclusion, discriminatory laws in faith and society, and especially in killing hatred that one reconciles men and peace is made."
Monsengwo has been mentioned on a short list for a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.